Moving to Colorado Springs has been beautiful, exciting, and honestly… a little chaotic. From snow showing up uninvited to altitude hitting harder than expected, here’s everything I wish someone told me before I moved.

If you have been curious about how to start a UGC business, you are not alone. Brands are increasingly looking for authentic content from real people, and you do not need a large following to get started. In this guide, I share the steps I took to begin creating user generated content, build a portfolio, pitch brands, and land my first collaborations.

In college, I struggled to find steady work and quickly realized one job would not be enough. From working at the YMCA to becoming a resident advisor, selling clothes online, taking graduation photos, and eventually building a thriving UGC business, I learned how to create multiple income streams during uncertain seasons. This is the honest story of how I made side money in college and beyond and the lessons that shaped my financial independence.

Confidence is not something you are born with. It is built through repetition, resilience, and the choice to show up even when you feel unsure. This reflection explores how confidence is practiced in quiet moments long before it is visible to others.

Learning to trust my gut meant listening to my body even when it would have been easier to dismiss it. This post reflects on self trust, advocacy, and the experience that shaped my commitment to honoring intuition and speaking up when something feels off.

Yalmie started as a name I picked as a young creator looking for freedom to express herself. Over time, it became the thread connecting every part of who I am, from creativity and performance to leadership, advocacy, and personal growth.